Mt. Poso Cogeneration Plant

Mt. Poso Cogeneration Plant is a coal-fired power station owned and operated by Red Hawk Energy, Northern Star Generation, and MacPherson Oil near Bakersfield, California. The plant provides power to nearly oil recovery fields, using a blend of coal, coke, and waste tires.

Mt. Poso Cogeneration Plant is currently being converted to burn 100% biomass - agricultural and residential green waste from nearby areas. DTE Energy is acquiring stakes from owners Red Hawk Energy and Northern Star Generation. The third partner in the Mt Poso plant, MacPherson Oil, intends to continue its ownership and management interest in the facility. As a biomass facility, it would produce about 44MW of power, DTE said, enough electricity to supply about 35,000 homes. Power is to be sold to California utility PG&E under a long-term power purchase agreement. DTE has completed a similar biomass conversion, the Stoneman Generating Station, in Cassville, Wisconsin, and has another under way in Stockton, California. It also operates biomass power plants in Woodland, California. and Mobile, Alabama. The biomass conversion is expected to be complete in 2012.

Plant Data

 * Owner: Mt. Poso Cogeneration Company
 * Parent Company: Red Hawk Energy, Northern Star Generation, and MacPherson Oil
 * Plant Nameplate Capacity: 62 MW (Megawatts)
 * Units and In-Service Dates: 62 MW (1989)
 * Location: 36157 Famoso Rd., Bakersfield, CA 93308
 * GPS Coordinates: 35.576316, -119.006553
 * Electricity Production: 439,168 MWh (2005)
 * Coal Consumption:
 * Coal Source:
 * Number of Employees:

Emissions Data

 * CO2 Emissions: 539,869 tons (2006)
 * SO2 Emissions: 11 tons (2002)
 * SO2 Emissions per MWh:
 * NOx Emissions: 129 tons (2002)
 * Mercury Emissions:

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * Existing U.S. Coal Plants
 * California and coal
 * Coal plant conversion projects
 * United States and coal
 * Global warming
 * Coal